This two-year research project aims to examine a new mode for improving the flow of health-related data and information in a community. The main objectives of the proposal are: (1) Experimental development of a prototype Health Information Sharing Project (HISP), and (2) Empirical evaluation of HISP in terms of benefits to the participating organizations as well as its potential problems. To this end, the project will: (a) identify categories of health planning and health management data and information currently presumed to be available through informal communication; (b) determine the location, forms and terms of use; (c) make this information available to health organizations in the form of a directory; (d) help them to strengthen information handling ability among their staff. A field experiment embedded within the project will assess the effectiveness of HISP for organizations, before and after HISP implementation, by focusing on: (a) level of awareness and use of externally produced data and information, (b) effect on various services, (c) overall effect, promise and problems of information resource sharing by referral. The expected significance of the project would be to (a) assist health organizations in capacity building, (b) catalyze interaction in the health care community, and (c) identify the potentials and problems of a semi-formalized information sharing mechanism.